Automatic tractor mounted vineyard plow



Aug. 26, 1952 LUND 2,608,146

AUTOMATIC TRACTOR MOUNTED VINEYARD PLOW Filed Feb. 10, 1947 PERLE MASON L U/VD INVENTOR HUEBNER, BEEHLER, WORREL,

EG 3 HERZ/G a CALDWELL ATTORNEKS WW/W Patented Aug. 26, 1952 AUTOMATIC TRACTOR MOUNTED VINEYARD PLOW Perle-Mason Lund, Woodlake, Calif. Application February 10, 1947, Serial No. 727,559

The present invention relates to row-cropcultivators and more particularly to automatic vineyard hoes directed to the working of the earth close to the vines.

A tedious and costly procedure in the production of row crops is the cultivation of the soil in the rows. This procedure is periodically required to destroy weeds and to remove insect harboring debris. When it is borne in mind that theweeds and debris missed by the cultivator are generally required to be removed "byha'nd labor, a concept of the tedious and'exacting cultivating requirements is had. The problems incident to such cultivation are generally encountered in their most aggravated form in vineyards and other rowcrops in which it is impossible'to give the soil at least a seasonal, over-all cultivation. Further,

vineyards are usually found in areas in which the soil and climate are conducive to the rapid growth of tenacious weeds.

Conventional vineyard cultivating practices comprise cultivating between the rows of vines as widely as is readily accomplished and subsequently thereto, cultivating the soil immediately adjacent the vines and between the'vines in the rows by manually guided or automatic earth working tools. The present invention relates generally to the latter group, but is readily distinguished from the automatic devices heretofore known.

An object of the present invention is to cultivate the soil linearly along row crops, between spaced plants in therows and laterally offset to pass around each plant in an accurate, depend able and expeditious manner.

Another object is to provide an improved agricultural implement adapted automatically to guide itself, in response to row crops encountered in the rows, so as to cultivate the earth in the rows between and adjacent said crops.

Another object is to provide an earth working toolautomatically positioned laterally, relative to the direction in which it is drawn, in response to obstructions encountered by a guide.

Another object is to provide a laterally, hydraulically reciprocated, vineyard cultivator, dependable in operation, rugged in construction, effective in the removal of weeds and debris from the soil adjacent the vines, and safe to employ in young as well as old vines.

' Further objects are to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in adevice of the-character and for purposes set forth.

Inthe drawing: I f

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the device of the present 4 Claims. (01. 97-137) 2 invention in operational relation to the rear of a tractor by which it is motivated.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a portion of the hydraulic system of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the vineyard cultivator embodying the principles of the present invention. V I Referring in greater detail to the drawing: The numeral [0 designates generally a drawing vehicle such as a tractor to which the device of the present invention is removably attached. The tractor has a power take-0d H by which a hydraulic pump 12 is'driven. A reservoir l3ffor.

the hydraulic fluid is maintainedin fluidcbmmunication with the intake side of thepump. Rearwardly disposed the tractor is a conventional A frame M borne by braces l5 and in turn mounting and elevationally positioning a tool barflG transversely to the normal direction of movement of the tractor. These elements are of conventional form and exemplify a vehicle and mounting by which the present invention may be supported and motivated. It is to be understood that the.

present invention is not limited to such a vehicle,

but may be mounted on any suitable vehicle pro-n .viding the requisite hydraulic means and traction. A plow i? is disposed at the end of a beam l8'th'e'opposite end of which beam is rigidly connected to the tool bar it through the medium of a clamp [9. The plow is adapted to be drawn a spaced distance from a row of vines to provide a furrow into which an earth working'tool, presently more fully described, may discharge soil, weeds, and debris encountered.

A pivotal beam 20 is connected at its forward end to the rearward end of the fixed beam is by pivot means 2! to have a re'ciprocaltravel generally horizontal and lateral to the normal direction of movement of the tractor. An earthworking tool 22 is borne in ground engagement by the rearwardly disposed end portion of the pivotal beam. The earth working tool may take various forms, but is generally of a type commonly known in agricultural implements as a French plovv 'in that it is adapted to work the soil and rernove weeds and debris from between the vines..' v

A bracket 23 is fixedly mounted on the'tool bar It and rearwardly extended therefrom to a position laterally and inwardly disposed from the-pivotal beam 20. A clamp 24, similar to the clamp I9, is conveniently employed to mount the bracket and provides adjustable spacing of the fixed beam and the bracket by its longitudinal positioning on the tool bar. A telescopic hydraulic member comprising acylinder 25,]a piston llijslidably t grl ndei 12 cylinder has ports 28 and 29, respectively, in the 5 opposite end portions thereof whereby the hydraulic pressures may be varied on the opposite sides of the piston to extend or contract the hydrauli'cfznember as' desired. It "will be appreciated tha't'said contraction and ei ttension of the hydraulic member results in reciprocal positioning of the pivotal beam 20.

A hydraulic control valve 30 is'fikedlyriibuiited i I control arm 45, having a rearwardly curved outer near the forward end portion of the pivotal beam 20. The valve may take several iorms a typical valve suited to the purpose being schematically illustrated in Fig. 2. Said valve comprises a body portion 3| having a valve piston 32 slidablyreceived by a hollow cylindrical valving chamber 33.

Hydraulic fluid under pressure is admitted to the "valve chamber on each side of thevalve piston through intake'ports' 3 4; A centrally located ex- "ha ust"port 35 permits'the hydraulic 'fluid'to be discharged from the valve chamber. A pair of V jcontrol portsttand 31 are provided neaigoppo- ""control rr'iember. A furtherconduit 4n communif a'te; between the high pressure side of the hydr uucpurnp l2 and the intake port 34 of the iportionsfjn' aside thereofno'f such a lengthy and 4 so 'positloned'always to register with the exhaust jport 35 andf'the control ports36dand' 31 oreither for ,thernaccording to valve piston'positioning; A positioning rod '42 is connected to thevalve piston and"ex ten ds outwardly from the body portion ltheifeoi for external control. The operation of "jthef valve is obvious from the diagram of Fig. 2. f lqydraulic fluid under pressure isjimpre'ssedupone.

the system through'the intakefport 34.' When in? a ve 'D Ston is positioned, as shown in' th the i n r pressure passes through n v ve mb rt'fl, out throughthg control ppr ipea u is conducted by the conamt'ash to, the ;portj 2 8 the hydraulic member 'where itentrs 0 ""the'cylindjerj 25ja ndi forces the piston 26'to"the "left. j'fhsj thef'piston"'lti moves' to the left, it. is necessary to permit the hydraulic fluidin thelleft end oi thecylinderfiv to be bled; 'I'hisii's acthrough the port 1 29 conduit '39; controliport 31, "p ssase' l inj hej a f' i oni iz; ex a t n t 35,'andjsubsequently back. to, the reservoirj l3 by im ge-set,eiseil u ifli Irw n el bviou k t t 'jtheyalve piston 32 is moved from the extreme 60 .iPQWQQ" h WPYi Fi 21t control, port 31 will 'yi i ti lfll lq g ed and the c ntrol part wtirel formed, 1 This "operation; provides an ac- "curate" me ns IQIQPOSifiioning the. piston 26lin tees-teeny xte n 99.

ends oif'thejpa'ssagel f win overlay and. subintrofpor'tjl' andjth'port 29 of th hydraulic 1' i'lraulic control'valve, Th vvalve piston 32fh-as long'itudinaljpassag 4| intermediateeits"end' rection by manual and/or automatic control.

A lever 44 is pivotally mounted inwardly disposed the pivotal beam 20 and linked to the posift niing 'ro d fl of the hydraulic control valve. A

endportion and an extended inner end portion, is pivotally mounted on the fixed or rigid beam "lt'as shown at'dfi in'Figs. 1 and 3 generally transversely thereto. The outer end portion of the control arm is preferably extended from the fixed beam at approximately the height or the upper "portion; r the' earth' working toolv "22 so that; it mayenga e- 'Dbsti'uctions' 'thatf normally "Wo ild snag the tool. The lever has as'eriesloi' 'onnecting openings 4 formed in the inward? jpos'ed'end portion thereotandffthe control ai lilies; a sim'ilar' 'sefie's'of openings 48 foiz'n'e'd'in .it's '1 .flmly disposedend porti nga helicall't'en- 'sioIilspringfiH' links the'jcontrol arm fihjn'c'ithe lever "M bybeingi gaged'iin amnesi U." of t e; lever 'andfanf o z ingf 481 or the? ontroifarm. The: pluralityjlof available connectingpointsj' pro- Slides a rneansj Whereby'the relative mechanical aqyttr tagesof t v eve-ran the c ntrol annuity be 'adj fslt e dfis desiredflj A second 'ten'sioh'sprmg Q5 7 is connected .tglthe lever and ttpthe'ib dy [portion a If offth'e hydraulic"controlfvalvef tb lsa'idleverfihto retracted position'JjlA'n adj jsto'p; 5r is mounted'ori the fixed t a It toiuiitit "the forward movement of theoiiteifend'f portion of the ,controlarm. from a s'iibstantiallyfl'l'ateral position, and through the spring to restrict'lthe 'r'etraction' of the lever? by ,thesprin'g'fifl. 'fIo -permit manual motivation of the'valve td'retract the earthworking'ftool". in emergencies, ajfle'x'ible ten'sion'..inember"'52 i'slconnected to theat r, 44 and'runjIpi wardt6 aeofivenie'nn'y accessible 'p sitionofi'th' tractor.

"Operation The operationof thecultivator of theprfi ifiiintioli s e eve the Obviou new the or ngoiin'g description and is briefly summarized as Thespring 49, theretractign spring 50 and the .s op 5.! re a u ted a de e hed qt tt elen F 1m]?, s-l llye enqec r m the tulii f .r nd the ar htwor s s mp1 ,zziex enq Wat lY- t ep t t aiq mw p he 91 m sufllilit i isienccto ass ssins sqilbetwc nttn win is pe tenm at ncrement-them t ate 32. th valve r cta thg'e ee e i wil 19; the hydra lic isms-sate pr d hqhy xwl cqntr l vele iber.P11. suurh the p rt tze in re a es tethtt n res tdtthrpus t ei'b f 19, .te h 't stsiwi l bathae ssi n pfi' te hx a lieee a rel em e s-" ine thdajt'era ns'ion of the earth wo'riging tool I sr a s yl ti asef r t on se ies 9,1 "connected to exert a maximum orjorce on;,t .h e lever urging the positioning 1 rod inwardly; S uba ia l he t m t .bl'ee lqs nlisesd by iib'sifii, enema pa t es: t at wmqhsmcal advantage of thecohtrol arm relative to m s s-His Q Q QWE -a C172; .;,-;1-;\;

cultivator-is drawn along the side of a row of vines, the plow I! providing a furrow substantially parallel and as near to the row as may safely be accomplished. The earth working tool 22 engages the soil between the vines of the row and discharges weeds, debris, and soil which is encountered, into the furrow of the plow. When the control arm 45 encounters an obstruction in the row, such as a vine, the control arm is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 1, drawing forward on the lever 44 by means of the spring 49 and withdrawing the positioning rod 42 from the valve 30 resulting in retraction of the earth working tool 22 from between the vines of the row. As soon as the control arm 45 has passed the obstruction the springs 49 and 50 return said control arm to its lateral position and the lever 44 to its normal operating position, resulting in the return of the earth working tool 22 to its predetermined operational position.

The cultivator of the present invention works the soil contiguous row crops in an accurate, dependable, and expeditious manner as it is guided in response to the vines encountered in the rows. The hydraulic reciprocation of the pivotal beam 20 and the earth working tool borne thereby is dependable in operation, being activated by even the younger and smaller vines encountered in a vineyard.

Although I have herein shown and described my invention in what I have conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of my invention, which is not to be limited to th details disclosed herein, but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and systems.

Having described my invention, what I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a cultivator adapted for attachment to a drawing vehicle comprising a beam rigidly attached at its forward end to such a vehicle, a second beam connected at its forward end to the rearward end of the rigid beam for lateral pivotal movement, an earth-working tool borne by the free end portion of the pivotal beam, a bracket member rigidly attached at its forward end to the vehicle and having its opposite end laterally and inwardly disposed to the pivotal beam, the combination of a two-way hydraulic ram connected between the pivotal beam and the bracket member, a valve borne by the pivotal beam and having controlling connection to the ram and regulating pressure supply to opposite ends thereof, a control arm pivotally mounted on the rigid beam and laterally extended therefrom, resilient means urging the control arm into lateral position, and communicating means between the control arm and the valve translating relative movements of the control arm and pivotal beam, on which the valve is mounted, into operation of the valve.

2. In an automatic hoe, adapted for use with a draft appliance, comprising a forwardly movable supporting structure connected to a draft appliance, a beam pivotally connected to the supporting structure and rearwardly extended therefrom for lateral pivotal movement, an earth working tool borne by the beam, a fixed member rearwardly extended from the draft appliance, a two-way hydraulic ram connected between the fixed member and the pivotal beam, the combination of a valve having connection to a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure mounted on the pivotal beam, conduits interconnecting the valve and opposite ends of the two-way ram, a control arm pivotally mounted on the supporting structure and laterally extended therefrom forwardly adjacent to the beam for horizontal pivotal movement in response to obstruction engagement, and a linkage having controlled connection to the arm and controlling connection to the valve and through operation of the valve shortening the ram in response to movement of the control arm and pivotal beam toward each other and extending the ram in response to movement of the control arm and pivotal beam away from each other.

3. In a hydraulically controlled hoe having a forwardly movable support frame, a beam mounted on the frame for substantially horizontal pivotal movement rearwardly extended from the frame, an earth working tool borne by the rearwardly extended end of the beam, and hydraulic means for laterally pivoting the beam; the combination of a valve mounted on the beam in hydraulically controlling relation to the hydraulic means, a control arm pivotally mounted on the frame forwardly of the valve and laterally extended from the frame, and a control linkage. interconnecting the control arm and the valve translating pivotal spacing of the control arm and the valve mounted on the beam into continuous regulation of the hydraulic means for responsive control of the beam.

4. In an automatic hoe having a forwardly movable support frame, a beam pivotally connected to the frame for horizontal pivotal movement and rearwardly extended therefrom, and an earth working tool borne by the rearward end portion of the beam; an automatic control comprising a rigid beam rearwardly extended from the frame in spaced relation to the pivoted beam, an extensible and contractable hydraulic ram pivotally connected between the pivotal beam and the rigid beam, a two-way valve having a connection with a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure and each end of the ram mounted on the pivotal beam for movement therewith, said valve having a forwardly disposed operating means adapted to direct hydraulic pressure selectively to either end of the ram while bleeding the opposite end of the ram therethrough, a control arm pivotally mounted on the frame in laterally extended position forwardly of the pivotal beam, and a control linkage interconnecting the operating means of the valve and the control arm, and operating the valve to contract the ram when the control arm and pivoted beam move toward each other and to extend the ram when the control arm and pivoted beam move away from each other from predetermined angular relation.

PERI-E MASON LUND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,253,130 Lund Aug. 19, 1941 2,442,095 Reed et al May 25, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 801,644 France May 23, 1936 

